wool vs. down; the showdown

[Vesty]

I have often wondered how these two natural insulators stacked up to provide comfortable warmth in cold weather. I use both extensively during our second season and for me, the nod goes to down. When I wear my down vest under my down jacket topped by my camo shell, I remain toasty warm for long periods of time while in my treestand. I love my wool but again my nod goes to down.

[habujohn]

Sitting/standing still down is by far warmer.  Stalking/walking and wool is the choice as it breathes.  I do love my wool for how quiet it is but it is not as warm as down.

I don't have any down, but I love the wool I have.

Of course, it does not get real cold here usually, and I am wearing wool when it is in the 50's!!

Bisch

[Gil]

Wool  still insulates when wet, down loses its jnsulating properties when wet. For a stalking/mobile hunter, wool is better for me. For a stand hunter, down might be better but a bit bulky than wool.

[dirtguy]

What Gil said is right on - down looses much of its insulation capacity when wet.  I also find its bulk a little tough to deal with at times.  But it does a great job of keeping you warm.

I find that the innermost and outermost layers are key.  If I have good warm material right next to my skin and a good, windproof outer layer, I am good in pretty cool temps.  Stuff a third layer of wool, down or synthetic in between and Im good in the down right cold.  

Much worse than that, and its time to hunt from a blind.

[reddogge]

For rifle hunting on stand I do wool long underwear and waterproof duck hunting shell to walk to the stand with the other stuff in a pack. Then on stand I put on heavy wool shirt and a light down coat and then my shell again. It's a proven combo in all kinds of weather. And I've NEVER gotten my down coat wet in 30 years of wearing this combination in all kinds of bad weather both deer and duck hunting.

[lpcjon2]

Down packs well and is light, but doesnt carry the toughness of wool to me. both are great and warm but I love the wool.

[Sam McMichael]

Two downsides regarding down. It loses ability to insulate when wet. Also, it is usually used in conjunction with some sort of synthetic material such as nylon, which makes it noisy. Therefore, I recommend wool for those who don't have allergies.

[BAK]

If you don't hunt where it really gets cold wool works just fine.

[ChuckC]

Down will win every time.   Till it gets wet or gets compacted.  Each have their shining points.
CHuckC

[Terry Green]

Both have their advantages and disadvantages. ..

So, one is not better than the other on all occasions. Like there is no one tire tread that works best on all the different terrains.

That's why I utilize both....as we'll as polar fleece.

[monterey]

Originally posted by Bisch:
I don't have any down, but I love the wool I have.

Of course, it does not get real cold here usually, and I am wearing wool when it is in the 50's!!

Bisch

Hmmmm... At 50 and above I wear short sleeves.  

[Jakeemt]

My all time favorite is a shell of the newer wind blocking fleece, then a wool base layer and middle for really cold temps. Here in MO though wool will cover most of what I need done. I have not played much with down but, a vest sounds like a pretty good add on for those really cold days. Like everyone else says the key is a layering system that can be added or removed as needed and a variety of materials seem to fit that bill.

[Stumpkiller]

Another thumbs down on down.  It usually comes inside something noisy - like Nylon.  Wool is always quiet.

Try a shearling vest under wool.  Snuggly warm.

[Pointer]

I prefer wool. I can always layer under it in extreme cold...I'll use a gold wind/rain suit over my thermals and under the wool which is already lined to block wind. I've stayed warm in some cold nasty wet weather while wearing wool. I don't know how you would stay warm in down once you get wet

[2wfstlhunting]

I get cold easily.  I wear silk as bottom layer then multiple layers of wool depending on how cold AND even put in the little heater packs.  I always stayed away from down because of noisy cloth that they are usually made of.  However, this year I fell over a down "sweater" in TJ Max for better than 1/2 price and wore it over  and under wool.  It was warmer than last year and frankly no obvious noise when under wool.  If it ever gets cold here I plan to wear it again. I think that it is usually pretty easy to know when rain is coming on most of my hunting days.  That said, if it was pivotal to my staying warm and I hunted where weather was unpredictable and away from home, I am sure that I would use something else.  In Eastern Pa it is not much of a concern, as the house or the car aren't all that far away.

[Firstlight]

I agree with what's been said about the pro's and con's of each but I only wear wool, being that we get over 40" of rain here a year.

 I can't risk the down getting wet, no worries with wool if it get's wet.  You still stay warm with wet wool, to a degree.

I agree thou, if "wet" is not a concern and just sitting for a long while, down, I suspect is warmer.

So for me, wool is the year round winner as it takes everything you can throw at it, while down can't...

I have been increasingly leaning toward wool as my favorite hunting clothing, after a brief affair with synthetics. I think the ideal is a windproof layer and good, heavy wool, like KOM or SI or GWW. We haven't had a really cold winter this year, but I was able, on the coldest days (maybe 20 degrees +/- at dawn, windy)to get away with my KOM bibs over fleece longjohns and top, and a wool hoody lined with windproof material over a wool vest. Cozy, not bulky. My only other preference, for mid season, is Berber fleece from Cabelas. Down is light and warm, but useless when wet, and it's ALWAYS wet out there, one way or another.....

[lone hunter]

Originally posted by Stumpkiller:
Another thumbs down on down.  It usually comes inside something noisy - like Nylon.

Yep.

[tecum-tha]

Most wool is not fulled and thus does not have the wind resistance it can have when properly processed. Fabric that is processed like that is called mountain loden. In comparison to for example jackets/anoraks made from blanket style wool, it is much more waterproof and windproof and thus warmer, but not bulkier. It is also not cheap, as the additional processing must be done and should be done by trained personnel to get a good product. More info:
 http://www.mehler-tuchfabrik.de/en/production/finishing/